The Royal Palace shapes Olite’s skyline, bringing the history of the old Kingdom of Navarre to life in the townscape. The town’s character, however, extends beyond this single building: the Old Town is home to medieval, Renaissance and Baroque buildings, while vineyards and olive groves are part of the plain around Olite. When planning your trip, you can focus separately on culture, wine and routes of different lengths.

Royal Palace and Historic Old Town

The Royal Palace of Olite is the principal work of King Charles III “the Noble” (1387–1425) and the most representative landmark of the old Kingdom of Navarre. Its towers, rooms, galleries, gardens and courtyards form a complex structure whose distinctive silhouette rises above the townscape. You can visit the palace independently with an audio guide or as part of a booked guided tour. The New Palace of Olite is open to visitors. As visit options and opening arrangements may change, it is worth checking before your visit.

The Church of Santa María la Real, adjoining the Royal Palace, was used by the monarchs of Navarre for major festivals and ceremonial occasions. Its façade is one of the most important ensembles of Navarrese Gothic sculpture. The gateway to the Roman and medieval walled area is also a historic landmark. The Old Town’s narrow streets are lined with palaces and manor houses dating from the Middle Ages, the Renaissance and the Baroque period. This broadens the view from the royal building to include sacred sculpture and a layered historic streetscape.

Landscape and Routes from Olite

The plain around Olite includes cereal fields, vineyards and olive groves. Monte Encinar is a remnant holm oak forest and a favourable habitat for wildlife, particularly mammals. The forest consists mainly of holm oaks and planted pines, complemented by junipers and Mediterranean scrub.

For an outdoor activity, two routes of different lengths start in Olite. The Olite–Ujué–Olite mountain bike route is 39.5 kilometres long, with an elevation gain of 480 metres. The walking route to the Ermita de Santa Brígida (SL NA-171 A) covers 6.9 kilometres with an elevation gain of 90 metres; it is also suitable for mountain bikes. The distance and elevation figures make it easy to compare the routes’ overall scale without implying that they are equivalent. Check current trail conditions before setting out.

Wine and Seasonal Experiences

Wine connects the landscape with visitor experiences. A winery in Olite opens its doors to the public and offers guided tours of its facilities, accompanied wine tastings and wine sampling. Before planning a visit or tasting, check whether the visitor experience is available.

On the first weekend of September, the start of the grape harvest is marked in Olite with a procession followed by an address. The programme then includes grape pressing, as well as the analysis and tasting of the must. Exact dates may vary from year to year. For travellers who combine an interest in culture and wine, this offers a seasonal connection to the grape harvest alongside the historic buildings.

Getting There and Finding Your Way

National Route 121 (Tarazona–France) and Regional Route 115 (Soria–Tafalla) cross the municipality of Olite. The Navarrese A-15 motorway also runs north to south through the area, with its access point three kilometres from the town. When planning your journey, it helps to distinguish these road connections from the town itself. Check road conditions and the relevant access regulations before travelling.

Discover more destinations: Etxauri, Etxarri-Aranatz, Tiebas-Muruarte de Reta, Eslava, Meoz, Mués, Los Arcos, Oderitz.

Go to the main travel overview: Navarre.